The operator held the final session of the eight-week course last month, welcoming all 20 participants for a celebratory lunch in Sexy Fish, London. 

Graduating agents hailed from a wide range of professions, including former vets, doctors, police officers and cabin crew.

According to Sarah Turner, Trade Partnerships Manager at Audley, the focus was strategically different from traditional destination or supplier training.

“Rather than destination or product experts, we wanted to position these agents as private client managers,” she told TTG. 

(Credit: Audley Travel)

The programme therefore focused on soft skills, relationship management and understanding the psychology of high-net-worth travellers.

“One theme we really wanted to cover was the nuance of the high-end customer and what they’re looking for; building that emotional story and understanding their ‘why’,” Turner explained.

Sessions also explored sales, marketing, personal branding and client communication, alongside the critical role of partnerships and supplier relationships. 

“We wanted to get across the importance of having a strong relationship with Audley’s specialists – they’re the lifeline of Audley,” said Turner. “You can’t be an expert on everything – that’s why we have these specialists.” 

The weekly 90-minute sessions also included breakout discussions and peer-to-peer learning, designed to help newer agents build confidence in the luxury market.

“It was fascinating to see the spectrum of backgrounds and former professions,” Turner said. “There was also a large range of ages, with the youngest being 19 and the oldest in their 60s.” 

She added participants were refreshingly honest about their “vulnerabilities”, with some sharing their challenges in handling high-value budgets and growing their client bases. 

The operator plans to expand the initiative next year, with more external experts and industry partners expected to join future sessions.

“We had a phenomenal number of applications for our inaugural training,” Turner said. “We said it was open to agents with one to three years of experience, but we still had established agents with 40 years of experience applying because they wanted to keep learning.” 

This enthusiasm from the industry has led to “big plans" for next year, though Turner is conscious of remaining relevant. “We need to adapt to the changes in the industry – this has real legs, but we need to stay on top of trends and markets," she said.